HC₂H₃O₂  or  CH₃COOH

 Only the hydrogen atom written in red above will dissociate; this is the hydrogen atom in the lower right hand corner of the diagram below.

[image]

H₂CO₃

_{Hint: to remember this formula, just think of carbon dioxide gas dissolving in water:}

H₂O  +  CO₂  →  H₂CO₃

HCOOH

Only the hydrogen atom written in red above will dissociate; this is the hydrogen atom in the lower right hand corner of the diagram below.

[image]

Although you are not required to know the formula of formic acid, I recommend that you memorize it anyway, to help you write the formua of acetic acid.